MORE than 230 guests watched as six stars shone on the stage at Inverell RSM Club on Saturday, June 22, for the Stars of Inverell gala night.
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Organised by the Cancer Council, the black tie event saw the local personalities take to the stag to perform hip hop, ballroom and jazz routines.
Each dancing couple at the black tie event wore colours representing a particular cancer for which they wanted to raise awareness.
The People's Choice Award went to Emi Campbell. She dressed in purple for pancreatic cancer awareness and a tribute to a close friend of Ms Campbell's and the Campbell family.
Gerry Taveira earned the highest fundraiser award.
Along with partner Abby McGregor, Mr Taveira dazzled the crowd with a disco number wearing pink in support of breast cancer awareness. Over the past three months Mr Taveira's fundraising efforts raised $8400.
Clint McSpedden and Kymberleigh Krzysztofiak wore green for lymphoma cancer awareness and took on a challenging ballet routine wowing the crowd and the judges scoring him 28.5/30 and taking out the Judges Choice Award.
"On behalf of Cancer Council, I would like to thank the Inverell community for supporting the 2024 Stars of Inverell and making a difference in the lives of people affected by cancer," community fundraising coordinator Sarah Mayo McCowen said.
"The dance gala was a brilliant night filled with excitement, fun and entertainment.
"The stars performed some incredible routines with magnificent outfits, each wearing colours representing a particular cancer they wanted to raise awareness for."
Other highlights included:
- Kerry White partnered with Claudia Cush and were the first brave couple to step on to the dance floor. They performed a ballroom routine wearing blue for prostate cancer;
- Chris Watchirs partnered with Kiara Lind performed a fun hip hop performance to Ice Ice baby, blinged out in gold for childhood cancer awareness;
- Emi Campbell danced with her dance teacher of 20 years, Laura King. Their performance was based on songs about the friendship and bond they shared;
- Sharon Staader partnered with Andrea McLennan and performed a jazz routine rocking full rainbow and bringing back preschool dance classes. Ms Staader has been affected by many cancers with family and friends so wore rainbow to show support of all those battling any cancer.
Hosts was Peter Caddey and celebrity judges were Paul Harmon, Chris Connor and Annabel Sides.
The community were also entertained throughout the night with performances from Craze Dance Academy senior troupe and singing by Alex Munro.
More than $58,200 was raised from the event.
Funds raised will help provide practical and emotional support services for Inverell local patients, carers and families, fund vital cancer research, and allow important education programs on cancer prevention to continue.
"Thank you once more to the Inverell community for getting behind their local stars and all those affected by cancer," Ms Mayo McCowen said.
"None of our work would be possible without people like you, and we are so grateful for your support."
